New Things to Explore in Victoria Canada

New Things to Explore in Victoria

Visiting Victoria, the capital of British Columbia and Vancouver Island’s biggest city, is like taking a step back in time. Named for England’s reigning queen, this charming city boasts mild weather, gorgeous views of the Pacific coast and harbor, historic buildings and stunning gardens.

You can travel to Victoria via plane (they have a beautiful small airport), ferry from Vancouver and other cities, or take the quick easy Harbour Air small plan for great views and a short 45 minute flight from the docks near the Fairmont Waterfront hotel in Vancouver. There are plenty of new attractions in 2024, so now is the time to plan a visit. Here is a roundup of places to visit on your next trip, including some great new spots to explore.

STAY

Fairmont Empress

https://www.fairmont.com/empress

A perfect place to begin a stay is at the regal elegant Fairmont Empress.

The historic resort recently unveiled the renovation of its Fairmont Gold Experience, providing guests one of the most luxurious and spacious lounges in the entire Fairmont chain.

The makeover includes the addition of 22 new Fairmont Gold guestrooms as well as the transformation of the Fairmont Gold lounge expanding the space to a huge 4,000 square feet.

The design, by San Francisco’s HBA firm, houses elements dating back to the Fairmont’s original 1908 architecture including a fireplace, steel beams and exposed brick archways.

There’s plenty of great seating options, including a new beautiful outdoor patio with views of the harbor, bistro seating, small library nooks and hidden alcoves. My favorite spot is a hard-to-find table for one that overlooks the harbor in a hidden small doorway.

Guests can enjoy a bevy of breakfast and brunch options in the Gold Lounge, as well as snacks and beverages throughout the day.

Opt to stay in one of the new 22 rooms and enjoy a roomy beautiful suite with a stunning view of the harbor. Rooms include big comfy beds, a walk-in closet with a special view, sleek furnishings, rich fabrics in a brown and beige color scheme and marble bathrooms with a rainfall shower.

The resort’s Willow Stream Spa offers a wide variety of treatments and houses one of the biggest indoor pools in Canada. Make sure to leave room in your schedule to visit the pool and spa. Reservations at https://www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/.

DINE

Marilena Café & Raw Bar

1525 Douglas Street

1.778.405.5200

https://marilenacafe.com/

Victoria’s newest fine dining restaurant has it all – a beautiful dining room, impressive local wine list, farm ingredient inspired seasonal dishes, dishes featuring locally sourced seafood and amazing sushi.

Standout dishes include anything from the raw bar including local oysters.The Tsunami, with torched Hamachi, jalapeno, ginger and a citrus ponzu and the tuna tartare with ginger dressing and avocado are great starters, as well as tacos with steelhead trout or lobster, beef carpaccio or a selection of caviar. Main dishes include miso glazed sablefish with warm sushi rice, crispy skin striped bass, chestnut agnolotti, beef tenderloin, lobster spaghetti, branzino and lobster for the table and a delicious 48-hour short rib. Sides include Wall Walla onion rings, roasted beets, Maitake mushrooms, broccolini and truffle fries.

Desserts include vanilla cheesecake with a key lime curd, chocolate mousse cake with chocolate gelato and other seasonal sweets.

Their wine cellar is expansive and houses more than 5,000 bottles.

Finn’s Harbour Front Restaurant

1208 Wharf Street

https://www.finnsvictoria.com.

Enjoy stunning views of the inner harbor and Parliament Buildings on Finn’s pretty patio, or opt to dine inside if it’s windy in a table or booth amidst a fireplace and red brick interior. The heritage building housing Finn’s was built in 1882. Standout menu items include house smoked rockfish croquettes, mussels, oysters, seafood chowder, Ahi tuna, rockfish, huge lobster, crab, fish and chips, New York steak, a variety of burgers and pizzas.

Q at the Empress

The 88-seat Q at the Empress restaurant has a contemporary design with lots of natural light highlighting the cherry wood ceilings and detailed molding. The menu focuses on local seasonal ingredients and utilizes the resort’s own vegetable and herb garden. Guests can begin with sharable seafood charcuterie with salmon jerky, tuna, octopus bacon and candied sablefish; bison carpaccio or the baby beet and burrata salad with blood orange dressing. Standout dishes include braised lamb shoulder rack, pan seared sablefish, duck confit with lentil cassoulet, salmon with sea kelp spatzle, white wine braised rabbit and a chargrilled beef tenderloin.

Desserts include a special chocolate Empress cake, hazelnut chocolate pie, pistachio profiteroles and a frozen fig and Earl Grey tea parfait. Q also offers a nice variety of local wines by the glass. In addition to dinner, the restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch. Guests can head to the Q Bar for a cocktail made from the pretty purple Empress 1908 Gin. The special gin contains juniper, coriander, grapefruit peel, ginger root, and blue butterfly pea blossom.

EXPLORE

HAVN Spa

920 Wharf Street

https://www.havnsaunas.com/

Located across from the Empress in Victoria’s inner harbour, this new big floating spa houses cold pools, saunas and outdoor hot tubs with beautiful views. Built aboard a refurbished navy barge, the Nordic style spa has unique design elements including cedar woodwork made from local salvaged driftwood and cutout windows with harbor views in the sauna rooms. Inside are universal change rooms and showers with an exfoliation shower, garden patio with loungers, three saunas with varying temperatures, two cold plunges, two hot tubs, two outdoor showers and a relaxation cabin outside on the roof deck.Cost is $75 for a three hour pass and access to all pools and spaces.

Butchart Gardens

800 Benvenuto Avenue

https://www.butchartgardens.com.

In addition to the Empress, Victoria is known for beautiful gardens with the most famous being the Butchart Gardens which is a short half hour drive from the Empress.

Created in 1904 in Brentwood Bay, Butchart Gardents houses over 55 acres of majestic gardens. During the summer, guests can enjoy concerts, fireworks, and a night illumination display into the evening as visiting hours are extended until 10 p.m.

In addition to thousands of varieties of plants and flowers, the gardens also have several dining options on the property. In 1947, the Benvenuto Garden Teahouse opened, serving spring and summer afternoon tea and fall and winter high tea. Today, executive chef Travis Hansen utilizes local ingredients to create a seasonally inspired tea menu including a berry trifle; house-made sausage roll; roasted onion and asparagus quiche; sandwiches that include egg salad, smoked salmon, maple glazed ham, chicken curry, and English cucumber and cream cheese; and desserts like a chocolate brandy napoleon, an orange poppy seed loaf, French meringue, and a chocolate truffle. Candied ginger scones with strawberry jam and Devon-style whipping cream are also served.

Ghostly Walking Tour

812 Wharf Street

https://discoverthepast.com.

Visitors interested in Victoria’s darker side can indulge in a Ghostly Walking Tour combining Victoria’s ghosts and the stories behind them with walks through alleyways and hidden streets. Most walks start at 7:30, last about 90 minutes and cost a mere $21.

Beacon Hill Park

parks@victoria.ca

A short walk from the Fairmont Empress is the stunning Beacon Hill Park with over 740,000 metres of parkland. Stroll through the lush grounds to view peacocks, deer and other animals as well as blossoming flowers and fauna. Footpaths offer long stroll options amidst manicured areas. There is also a putting green, playgournds, tennis and pickleball couts, lawn bowling and a rose garden.

Willow Spa at the Empress

If you are staying at the Empress head down to the spa to enjoy the huge heated pool and two hot tubs. This is one of the biggest indoor pools in all of the Fairmont Hotels and definitely worth a visit. You can also book a massage, facial or body treatment at the adjoining Willow Spa.

Now is the perfect time to visit Victoria and indulge in seafood, spas, spectacular views and miles of gardens. Head to https://www.tourismvictoria.com for more information.